There's Something About Sweetie

"The irresistible companion novel to the New York Times bestseller When Dimple Met Rishi, which follows Rishi's brother, Ashish, and a confident, self-proclaimed fat athlete named Sweetie as they both discover what love means to them. Ashish Patel didn't know love could be so... sucky. After being dumped by his ex-girlfriend, his mojo goes AWOL. Even worse, his parents are annoyingly, smugly confident they could find him a better match. So, in a moment of weakness, Ash challenges them to set him up. The Patels insist that Ashish date an Indian-American girl -- under contract. Per subclause 1(a), he'll be taking his date on "fun" excursions like visiting the Hindu temple and his eccentric Gita Auntie. Kill him now. How is this ever going to work? Sweetie Nair is many things: a formidable track athlete who can outrun most people in California, a loyal friend, a shower-singing champion. Oh, and she's also fat. To Sweetie's traditional parents, this last detail is the kiss of death. Sweetie loves her parents, but she's so tired of being told she's lacking because she's fat. She decides it's time to kick off the Sassy Sweetie Project, where she'll show the world (and herself) what she's really made of. Ashish and Sweetie both have something to prove. But with each date they realize there's an unexpected magic growing between them. Can they find their true selves without losing each other?" -- Provided by publisher.

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I swear, Sandhya Menon writes some of the best rom-coms I have ever had the pleasure of reading about. Not only does she create these wonderfully fleshed out characters, but her storylines have this addictive "just one more chapter" quality to them. I adored When Dimple Met Rishi the year it came out, so colour me happy when Ash, one of my favourite characters from that story, gets his own romance.

Ash and Sweetie are undeniably charming. Both characters have such unique personalities, yet you're rooting from them to be together the whole damn story because all the nay-sayers who say they don't fit are HECKIN' WRONG. I will even argue that I loved Sweetie far more than I did Dimple, if only because Sweetie's level of conviction and lack of apology for who she is, it is completely refreshing in a YA heroine. She has so much passion and I think how she discusses the word "fat" is it's own wonderful revelation as well. Even just her storyline with her family, you get the sense that Sweetie truly loves her folks no matter what they even say to her.

Then there is my beloved Ash, who is just so darling and funny. It was nice to see more somber and thoughtful moments with him, given how high energy he was in When Dimple Met Rishi, and I like the way in which Menon handles his past relationships and how he is the sad boy trying to figure out what is wrong with him! Ash is swoony in a way that Rishi wasn't for me, and it's funny given I generally don't find myself falling for the athletes in any contemporary story. Ash's family, however? My goodness they are hilarious and his dad killed me.

In all fairness, read There's Something About Sweetie. It has so much laughter with equal parts heart, and in a world where news spreads and things feel hopeless, it's wonderful to be reminded of stories that evoke so much kindness and humour. If you want a fun little rom-com that doesn't ask much of it's read, this book is 100% for you.